Hey Josef.. Bush gets more popular across the world by the minute. He at least has 1 ally tho.. Mexico.. no suprise there.
World outcry grows over Bush's 'truculence' on global warming
President George W. Bush's decision to pull out of a
global-warming agreement drew withering condemnation Friday, with world
leaders calling the withdrawal "unacceptable" and editorial writers slamming the
president's "in-your-face truculence."
The World Council of Churches said the U.S. announcement backing away from
the 1997 Kyoto agreement on controlling emission of greenhouse gases is a
"betrayal of their responsibilities as global citizens."
The Portuguese newspaper Publico said Bush acted "with the arrogance of
someone who thinks he owns the world."
"History will not judge George Bush kindly," declared Britain's Independent
newspaper. "It is not even isolationism, it is in-your-face truculence."
The Guardian newspaper chimed in: "Suddenly, in the space of two short
months, America, the 'indispensable nation,' begins to resemble the ultimate
rogue state."
The London-based Financial Times noted Bush's father when president signed
the UN Framework Convention on Global Warming in 1992.
"Since then, the temperature has risen," it said.
Bush administration officials announced Wednesday they will not implement the
treaty, under which countries agreed to legally binding targets for curbing
heat-trapping greenhouse gases, which are mainly carbon dioxide from burning
fossil fuels. The move reversed a position Bush took during the presidential
campaign.
Critics contend U.S. withdrawal will probably doom the pact. For Japan - the host
of the Kyoto meeting - it was seen as a particular snub.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori appealed to Bush to show leadership to
combat global warming at international talks in Germany in July.
"Japan hopes the United States will exert strong leadership for resolving such an
important issue facing the international community," Mori said.
French President Jacques Chirac departed from his written text to the UN Human
Rights Commission, calling the U.S. move "disturbing and unacceptable" and
pleading with Bush for a reversal - although he didn't name names.
"I solemnly appeal to all states, especially industrialized ones, to implement the
Kyoto Protocol fully and immediately," Chirac said.
"At a time of global warming and of a disturbing and unacceptable challenge to
the Kyoto Protocol...how can we affirm the right to a protected and preserved
environment, the right of future generations?"
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder tried in vain Thursday to persuade Bush
to change his mind.
In Washington, Bush defended his stance by saying stricter limits now on
greenhouse-gas emissions could worsen energy shortages plaguing parts of the
United States.
Bush's announcement, received support from Mexico, which - like many
developing countries - argued the greenhouse-gas reduction goals unfairly limited
growth in their countries.
"We understand the U.S. position," said Victor Lichtinger, Mexico's environment
secretary.
"We can't try to go too fast" on reducing emissions, he said, "because that
means at some point we have to retreat."
U.S. opposition to the Kyoto Protocol prevented environment ministers from 34
Western Hemisphere countries from reaching an agreement on how to stem
global warming after two days of talks in Montreal.
The final statement from the meeting said: "There was not full consensus on this
issue" and 26 Latin American and Caribbean countries made clear they
disagreed with the U.S. position.
"Countries can't move forward on the issue of climate change without the United
States," said Venezuelan Environment Minister Ana Elisa Osorio Granado.
Withering criticism came in Thailand's Bangkok Post newspaper.
"Kyoto gets the Bush kiss of death," read a headline.
"This is his way of saying to the other negotiating partners: 'You all go ahead and
talk without us, boys. We'll do whatever is necessary to eat well and live well and
the heck with the rest of the world,"' a commentary in the paper said.
cbc.ca |
